Time for some weekend updates.... because that's the only time I have to work on things and not get paid for it.
I was able to get my speakers wired up, but unable to get the fronts installed. I'll need to purchase a dremel for that... maybe next weekend.
I installed new Quick Discos up front
and I also installed my IRO TC Skid as well.
JL Audio 6.5 full range in the rear doors and pioneer mid/highs up front in the dash (or just sitting on the dash for now)
I have some 6x9 Carbon Fiber Woofers on the way for the front doors .... Amazon actually says I should get those tomorrow.
up front is easy and has actually been covered in this thread already....
The rear doors where new to me .... Easy enough though.
I just simply took the 2 screws out....one is a torx btw. Popped the plastic retainers out. Unhooked the wiring and metal door lever rods. Drilled some pilot holes and swapped everything out.
Then reversed the process after making sure it sounded good.
Put those on there... I think they are a tad long even at their shortest setting. I'm trying to figure out a way to shorten them. They really nailed down the suspension in the turns on the road, but are totally unforgiving and kind of jarring almost.
I'm going to ride them out a week or so, and see if I can think of someway to shorten them. The retainer is awesome and handy.... and they are beefy Grade 8 materials. Jon put on some of the JKS ones and I really liked his too. Even more beefier than the RC. I may swap them out completely. More research is needed.
Now lets talk about this thing...... shall we
It's all beef and no messing around with this thing. It's heavy and solid. You can see the difference beside the stocker and it's night and day.
Putting it in (by yourself) takes time and patience. I put it up there with a jack and moved it around with a rubber hammer, Making sure everything cleared. Well.... It does clear MOST of everything. My Catalytic Converter is sitting on it. (we'll come back to that in a minute though). I then took a small drill and drilled out little pilot holes. Then came in with the 29/64th drill bit as recommended by IRO. After that I begin to tinker around with the retainers. You have to slide these things up in to your frame and have them lined up exactly right or else ..... you'll be starting over and over and over to get those things right. This was absolutley the most time consuming and tedious task. Something I did to help here, as I was having a little trouble with the retainers lining up, is drill the holes out one size bigger. 31/64th. I then had a few spots that needed work. I had to take an air hammer and get the old bolt retainers off the inside of the frame from the original TC skid. They were sticking up ever so slightly on the inside of the frame, and I couldn't get my retainers to sit flush. I also had to claw out and cut a slightly larger hole in the frame on the right side. This was done to get my finger(pinky) in the frame to move the retainer. Once I was able to get everything lined up, I bolted everything up with the skid off. Then took all the bolts out being especially careful to hold the retainer while easing the last bolt out.
Jon had his JK on the Jack and Nick was on a date...... So I(being so very patient) took the TC skid and put it on my belly long ways while on a creeper, and just rolled myself and TC skid in to place.(the whole time humming the Mission Impossible tune) I carefully attached 2 bolts though each side. Then got out from underneath it and finished it up. Tightened it all down and called it a day on the WJ to help Jon put his 3" lift on the JK.
Now remember when I said my cat was resting on this skid .... It is doing just that. It's actually sitting on the bottom and not the sides .... So no matter where I put the TC skid .... The Cat was just to low.
I'm just going to lift it up via welds and threaded rebar. It clucks something horrible right now going over train tracks. I knew it was right from the get-go .... but It's my exhaust that's low and not a problem with the IRO Skid.
aaaaaand BONUS pictures.
because Jeeps ... that's why.
Jons new Rubi Express sSprings
Jons new 3" lift after install. I have to say.... That's the easiest lift I've ever seen go on. It must be nice to have new bolts and no rust. We flew through that thing.
Nick finally got his new trussed axles, Lockers, and 35's on. This thing is awesome now..... makes my WJ look tiny.
On the way still .... JRC rock sliders. ETA ... 2 weekish.
front door 6x9s
Til next time.
